World

[Guest fountainhall]

Sorry to say this but just how Hainan Airlines rates in the Skytrack ratings bores me to death.

 

I am not surprised! I can understand many readers being bored rigid when they see another thread about “best” airlines and classes in which they are rarely, if ever, able to travel. But I do suggest it is a reasonable subject for discussion. If you are not interested, do you have to read it?

 

Let’s recall the subject of the thread is “World’s Five Star Airlines”. Skytrax is almost certainly the most – or close to the most - respected rating an airline can achieve (see my previous post). So, any discussion of the airlines which make it into this category is, I suggest, ‘fair game’.

 

A couple of posters did not agree with Hainan Airlines being included. If those remarks are based on actual experience of the airline, that, too, is ‘fair game’ for discussion, I reckon. Equally, how Skytrax decides which airlines merit a 5-star rating is surely also on topic.

 

For those who are able to fly at the front end of the plane, the nature and type of business class seating is important. There are some airlines I just will not fly long distance – THAI being one, because the seating is not uniform throughout the fleet, and so for the same price you can end up with a vastly inferior product. And I like to know who is doing what up front, so that when price (or miles) does become a factor, I can then make a choice knowing the type of seat and service I will get.

 

That said, though, I accept that for economy passengers the 5-star ranking does not always carry though to all classes. For example, Cathay Pacific’s sliding economy seat has come in for massive criticism since it was introduced some years ago, to the point where the airline has been forced to re-equip its entire fleet with new and better economy seating.

 

Perhaps ironically, by far the best economy seat I have had in several years was on a British Airways Boeing 767 between Moscow and London last year - comfortable leather seats, good recline, decent amount of pitch (the space between each row). So, it's wise not to base everything on international rankings.

[Rogie]

But I do suggest it is a reasonable subject for discussion. If you are not interested, do you have to read it?

 

I never said it wasn't a worthy topic. As for whether I read it or not let me say I can still be bored by a topic and continue to follow the thread - without contributing to it of course. Why would I want to continue reading a boring topic, well 2 reasons come to mind. First, this message board is rarely boring and so what are to me 'boring' topics are rare, so I give the topic the benefit of the doubt, although it's fair to say I'll just skim through many of the posts rather than reading them in the way I usually do. That leads on to my second point, a thread often ebbs and flows, what starts off interesting can be hi-jacked or just die a slow death, OR a formerly 'boring' thread can spring to life and become interesting. That happened in this case and that's why I decided to add my tuppence-worth of comment.

 

I am now aware of Skytrax (apologies for my incorrect spelling earlier) and have enjoyed reading many of the posts in this thread from those far more knowledgeable in the subject than me!

[Guest fountainhall]

Do take the time to brush up on mileage schemes, Rogie. If you are visiting Thailand or Asia two or three times a year and normally using one airline, you might be able to build up miles - provided the fares you obtain have mileage attached to them.

 

And if it is BA, then they used to be linked to a UK credit card which added miles when you spend on everyday needs. You won't get a ton of miles that way - unless you like great dollops of caviar with your Crystal champagne . But over a couple of years, you'd be surprised how it can add up. Using two cards locally and in my other base Hong Kong, I accumulated more than 20,000 miles last year.

 

Technically such a card (or cards) should not involve you in extra costs - unless you use it/them overseas when there is usually a surcharge which more than wipes out the miles advantage. At least, that's what I find.

 

And again, if it is BA - or whichever airline - apply to join the loyalty club. It may be no use at the end of the day, but it's worth a try.

[Guest thaiworthy]

Technically such a card (or cards) should not involve you in extra costs - unless you use it/them overseas when there is usually a surcharge which more than wipes out the miles advantage. At least, that's what I find.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "technically" but there is always a cost for a credit card that earns miles, isn't there? That amounts to a (relatively small) annual fee (compared to your example) of usually less than $100, unless you have Amex (depending on the benefits). Still worth it though, especially if you have a business and can charge all your expenses to the business for things you have to buy anyway. I'm all for FFM, but the credit card companies have a psychological advantage when you use them, since you don't fork over hard cash. It seems like you're getting things for free when of course you're really not.

 

The fly-now, pay-later plan is a conspiracy and creates a love-hate relationship for that credit card, at least for me. Your experience may vary.

[Guest fountainhall]

I'm all for FFM, but the credit card companies have a psychological advantage when you use them, since you don't fork over hard cash. It seems like you're getting things for free when of course you're really not.

 

Doesn't it all depend on your knowing what the credit card costs, what extra charges you are in for, and the cost/benefit of the miles you are earning? I'm pretty good at doing a balance sheet of cost v. miles. Sadly, since 2008, the credit card companies and the airlines have made it more costly to earn miles and to use miles. But that's no reason not to use credit cards - if their miles are likely to be of benefit to you.

 

In Hong Kong, for example, I use a card linked to Cathay Pacific - which essentially means Asia Miles and the One World Alliance airlines. The card costs a certain amount per annum (but only for the basic card - the fact that it is linked to an airline means there is no cost for converting cc points into miles) - but the charge is waived if I spend more than a certain amount per annum. So I make sure that a minimum of that amount is charged to the card. If I use it in Hong Kong, there are zero extra costs compared to cash. If I use it overseas, then I am slapped with the card's conversion rate (normally quite good) but also now an additional 2%. So that makes zero sense for mileage use. Better to pay for the ticket.

 

In Bangkok, I have a another card for purchases here. That also has a small cost - it's not Gold, Platinum or anything fancy - but I still manage to clock up 5,000 miles or more a year. If I paid for a Platinum card, the mileage would double. But the math does not work in favour of miles.

 

Credit card miles work, but only if you work at working out the advantages!